DOVER— "If you think zombies are quite a sight, you're medicine cabinet is quite a fright!"

Members of Youth to Youth decked out as the undead Wednesday afternoon chanted from the steps of City Hall before shambling through the downtown area to raise awareness about Drug Take Back Day to be held this Saturday.

For the fifth year, Dover police will be taking part in the national initiative to rid homes of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.

The effort is in conjunction with the Dover Coalition for Youth and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

About 40 "zombies" shared the dangers of prescription drug abuse with passers-by telling them that according to surveys, one in five New Hampshire high school students have used a prescription drug that is not theirs.

They also said the medications found in home medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to abuse and misuse and that 70 percent of teens who abuse drugs get them from family and friends.

On Saturday at 46 Locust St., residents are invited to drop their unwanted prescription medications off anonymously between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Over the last four years, the department has collected about 420 pounds of unwanted, unused drugs and the Youth to Youth members wanted to do what they could to help increase that amount and eliminate even more medications and the dangers they pose from homes.

"In a fun way we wanted to get people's attention and remind them to come out on Saturday," Haley Demers, eighth-grade member, said.

Haley said the effort put into getting their message out to people is important "so prescription drugs don't lead to a situation that is really scary."

"When kids get a hold of prescription drugs, they can become addicted later," she said. "People need to know what stuff does."

Standing with her, sixth-grader Katie Paiva said being educated about these issues is key to a healthy life.

"Dover kids now are the future of Dover and if they want their futures to be clean they need their present to be clean," Katie said.

Anyone who is unable to attend the drug take back day but would like to learn more about proper and safe disposal methods is encouraged to visit the Food and Drug Administration website at www.FDA.gov.

To learn more about the local problem and how to get involved contact the Dover Coalition for Youth at 603-516-3279 or online at www.DoverCoalition.org